Filipino dishes with a twist at Chef Lau's Pugon Roasters in Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Chef Lau's Pugon Roasters is a "FAST GOOD" restaurant that serves firebrick oven-roasted traditional Pinoy dishes at an affordable price. I have always wanted to try their branch in Ayala Triangle (the nearest to our office). Unfortunately, whenever Soshi and I plan to dine there, either for lunch or dinner, they were always full. I have observed that not only yuppies enjoy eating at Pugon Roasters, even foreigners as well.
After the success of their branch in Ayala Triangle, Chef Roland Laudico, or more known as Chef Lau brings his signature Filipino dishes at Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill. The branch opened last April and had been making young professionals tummies happy.
After the success of their branch in Ayala Triangle, Chef Roland Laudico, or more known as Chef Lau brings his signature Filipino dishes at Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill. The branch opened last April and had been making young professionals tummies happy.
Venice Piazza branch
Luckily, I was invited to try their dishes at their Venice Piazza branch. We met up with Chef Lau himself and his wife, Chef Jac along with Robert, their Marketing and Operations Manager. They discussed with us how they started and their goals. Here are some of the dishes we tried that afternoon:
It is slow roasted Angus beef belly paired with rice and gravy. The beef was tender and yummy, very affordable for just 169!
This is Pugon Roasters signature roast quarter chicken, the one that makes patrons keep coming back. It's their version of our favorite chicken inasal, but much better.
This is one of the interesting dishes in Pugon Roasters. There are a few on the menu with an interesting twist. This dish is made of baked macaroni with cheesy kaldereta sauce. It was not spicy as the typical Filipino caldereta, but the kaldereta sauce gives texture to the typical baked mac dish.
This is Pugon Roaster's version of the Habhab noodles complete with vinegar on the side. It tasted okay for its price, though I've tasted better Pancit Lukban some place else.
We also tried some dishes in their breakfast selection such as:
A new take to the typical Fiipino breakfast favorite. Instead of garlic rice, its corned beef with hash potatoes mixed like a sisig and topped with egg. This was delish and an instant fave of mine.
Pugon Roaster's own version of Eggs Benedict, which is a mash-up of sweet, cheesy and savory. You can choose from chicken, ham, Lukban longganisa, chicken hotdog, pork tocino or corned beef to go along with the ensaymada bread, topped with fried egg and that oozing creamy and delish cheese sauce.
Desserts
Their dessert pastries were all made by Chef Jac Laudico. I recognized the desserts, because it was similar to what Patisserie Filipino had, a quaint cake shop beside Robinsons Supermarket in Eastwood. I was elated when I tried their Mango Cheesecake back then.
All the dessert pastries were yummy. They were not too sweet, just enough to satiate your sweet cravings. Aside from the pastries, they also have our favorite Filipino desserts like Halo Halo sundae and Carabao Milk Ice Cream.
About Chef Lau and Chef Jac
They both started cooking since they were little kids. They have been together since college have been satisfying a lot of hungry tummies since then. They both have studied abroad and broadened their expertise by working at restaurants in Europe. Their first business venture was a catering service. Bistro Filipino is their first restaurant that opened in BGC. But due to the yearly increase in renting costs, they decided to close it down. They plan to re-open Bistro Filipino in Makati. Aside from Pugon Roasters, they also own Guevarra's garden restaurant in Greenhills. You can get Chef Jac's yummy pastries in Patisserie Filipino in Eastwood.
It's been a pleasure meeting both Chef Lau and Chef Jac. They happily discussed with us how to bring out the flavors of dishes through natural means. They have always encouraged people not to use MSG or any of its counterparts due to health reasons. They even gave tips on how to determine if the dish being served is with MSG or not. I certainly learned a lot from them.
What are your favorite dishes at Pugon Roasters?
Share it in the comments below!
Chef Lau's Pugon Roasters
2nd Flr. Venice
McKinley Hill, Taguig
Visit their Website
Like their Facebook Page
Angus Roast Beef (Php169)
It is slow roasted Angus beef belly paired with rice and gravy. The beef was tender and yummy, very affordable for just 169!
Pugon Chicken (Php99)
This is Pugon Roasters signature roast quarter chicken, the one that makes patrons keep coming back. It's their version of our favorite chicken inasal, but much better.
Kaldereta Mac (Php89)
This is one of the interesting dishes in Pugon Roasters. There are a few on the menu with an interesting twist. This dish is made of baked macaroni with cheesy kaldereta sauce. It was not spicy as the typical Filipino caldereta, but the kaldereta sauce gives texture to the typical baked mac dish.
Pancit Lukban (Php69)
This is Pugon Roaster's version of the Habhab noodles complete with vinegar on the side. It tasted okay for its price, though I've tasted better Pancit Lukban some place else.
We also tried some dishes in their breakfast selection such as:
Corned Beef Hashilog (Php109)
A new take to the typical Fiipino breakfast favorite. Instead of garlic rice, its corned beef with hash potatoes mixed like a sisig and topped with egg. This was delish and an instant fave of mine.
Eggsaymada (Php149)
Pugon Roaster's own version of Eggs Benedict, which is a mash-up of sweet, cheesy and savory. You can choose from chicken, ham, Lukban longganisa, chicken hotdog, pork tocino or corned beef to go along with the ensaymada bread, topped with fried egg and that oozing creamy and delish cheese sauce.
Desserts
Their dessert pastries were all made by Chef Jac Laudico. I recognized the desserts, because it was similar to what Patisserie Filipino had, a quaint cake shop beside Robinsons Supermarket in Eastwood. I was elated when I tried their Mango Cheesecake back then.
Tablea Tart
Quezo de Bola Cheesecake
Mango Cheesecake
All the dessert pastries were yummy. They were not too sweet, just enough to satiate your sweet cravings. Aside from the pastries, they also have our favorite Filipino desserts like Halo Halo sundae and Carabao Milk Ice Cream.
About Chef Lau and Chef Jac
Chef Lau and Chef Jac
They both started cooking since they were little kids. They have been together since college have been satisfying a lot of hungry tummies since then. They both have studied abroad and broadened their expertise by working at restaurants in Europe. Their first business venture was a catering service. Bistro Filipino is their first restaurant that opened in BGC. But due to the yearly increase in renting costs, they decided to close it down. They plan to re-open Bistro Filipino in Makati. Aside from Pugon Roasters, they also own Guevarra's garden restaurant in Greenhills. You can get Chef Jac's yummy pastries in Patisserie Filipino in Eastwood.
It's been a pleasure meeting both Chef Lau and Chef Jac. They happily discussed with us how to bring out the flavors of dishes through natural means. They have always encouraged people not to use MSG or any of its counterparts due to health reasons. They even gave tips on how to determine if the dish being served is with MSG or not. I certainly learned a lot from them.
What are your favorite dishes at Pugon Roasters?
Share it in the comments below!
2nd Flr. Venice
McKinley Hill, Taguig
Visit their Website
Like their Facebook Page
1 comments
I like the Pork sisig with egg and Chicken with Adobo souce. nomnomnom
ReplyDelete